Cigarette filling optical control method and device

Abstract: The filling of a cigarette (3) under observation is controlled by intersecting the open-end surface (14) of the cigarette (3) with at least one coherent light blade (9) emitted by at least one laser source (4), to form a respective real light trace (15), and by analyzing any deviation or discontinuity of the real trace (15) in relation to a theoretical, straight, continuous trace (13) formed by joining two end points (B, C) of the real trace (15), to obtain a signal indicating acceptance or rejection of the cigarette (3) under observation.

Description: The present invention relates to a cigarette filling optical control method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a control method for determining the presence or absence of tobacco at the open end of cigarettes on a cigarette manufacturing machine and/or filter assembly machine and/or packing machine. At the output of a cigarette manufacturing machine and/or filter assembly machine and/or at the input of a packing machine, the cigarettes are normally subjected to numerous checks comprising a check of the filling to determine the presence or absence of tobacco at the open end of the cigarettes. In most cases, filling control consists in illuminating the front surface of the open end of the cigarette by means of a light source; forming an image of the front surface by means of a detecting unit featuring a telecamera or equivalent optical monitoring system; and transmitting the image to a comparing unit for comparing it with a specimen image and emitting a reject signal in the event the detected and specimen images differ over and above a given limit. In general, the difference in the detected and specimen images depends on differences in shading which, as is known, varies according to the presence of gaps on the front surface due to the absence of tobacco. Unfortunately, the shading of the detected image has been found to depend largely, not only on the presence of gaps, but also on the colour of the tobacco employed, so that known devices of the above type involve expensive, time-consuming setup procedures whenever the type of tobacco is changed. Known devices of the types described above are known from GB-A-2,176,598 and EP-A-370,231. In GB-A-2, 176,598 is shown a devices wherein a bundle of optical fibers, which are divided in two branches. One branch is connected to a source and is distributed so as to invest the cigarette end along a given path, and the other branch has a similar distribution and is connected to a detecting sensor. In EP-A-370,231 is shown a device wherein a coherent light beam impinges upon the cigarettes end along a linear path, and a sensor detects the reflected light along said linear path. The known apparatuses of the type described above are based on the principle of measuring the intensity of the reflected brightness, which depends upon the presence of gaps in the cigarette end, and the colour of the tobacco. It is an object of the present invention to provide a straightforward, low-cost optical control method designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. According to the present invention, there is provided a cigarette filling optical control method, which comprises stages consisting in emitting a coherent light beam by at least a laser source; forming, on said surface, a respective real light trace by said coherent light beam; the method being characterized by converting said coherent light beam into a coherent light blade so directed as to intersect the open-end surface of the cigarette under observation to form said real light trace; and analyzing any deviation or discontinuity of the real light trace in relation to a respective theoretical, straight, continuous trace formed by joining two end points of the real light trace, to obtain a signal indicating acceptance or rejection of the cigarette under observation. The present invention also relates to a cigarette filling optical control device. According to the present invention, there is provided a cigarette filling optical control device, which comprises laser emitting means; for emitting at least one coherent light beam; said device being characterized by the fact of comprising at least one focusing unit for converting said coherent light beam into a coherent light blade so directed as to intersect the open-end surface of the cigarette under observation; sensor means for detecting a real light trace of said light blade on said surface; and processing means for analyzing any deviation or discontinuity of said real light trace in relation to a theoretical, straight, continuous trace formed by joining two end points of the real light trace, and for producing a signal indicating acceptance or rejection of the cigarette under observation. A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of the optical device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of a first detail in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic view in perspective of a second detail in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows example diagrams of different results obtainable using the Figure 1 optical device; Figures 5 and 6 show schematic views in perspective of two variations of the Figure 3 detail. Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates an optical device for controlling the filling of an end portion 2 of a cigarette 3. Device 1 comprises a laser source 4, preferably consisting of a laser diode, for emitting a coherent light beam 5; and a focusing unit 6 comprising a focusing lens 7 and a cylindrical lens 8, Lens 8 provides for converting the focused beam 5 into a coherent light blade 9 impinging, at an angle A of less than 90°, on a plane 10 defined by the annular end edge 11 of the outer paper layer 12 of cigarette 3. More specifically, blade 9 intersects plane 10 along a line 13 in turn intersecting edge 11 at two points B and C. As shown in Figure 4, blade 9 also intersects the end surface 14 of end portion 2 of cigarette 3 to define, on surface 14, a light trace 15 having the same end points B and C as line 13. As shown in Figure 4 in the purely theoretical case of a perfect cigarette 3, i.e. wherein surface 14 (Figure 4a) is absolutely flat and coplanar with plane 10, trace 15 matches line 13 which is adopted as a theoretical reference trace. In the case of a real cigarette, on the other hand, surface 14 may be undulated (Figure 4b), in which case trace 15 is a wavy line, the deviations of which in relation to line 13 indicate variations in the level of surface 14; or a surface with interruptions or gaps (Figure 4c), in which case trace 15, in addition to being undulated, is also discontinuous. Device 1 also comprises an optical detecting unit 16 positioned (Figure 3) facing surface 14 and in turn comprising a sensor 17, preferably a photodiode array sensor, which receives an image of surface 14 and trace 15 via a filter 18 and a lens system 19, and is connected to the input of a processor 20. As the opposite end points of trace 15 undoubtedly coincide with the points at which blade 9 intersects edge 11, i.e. points Band C, processor 20, on receiving the image of trace 15, computes line 13, determines the deviations of trace 15 in relation to line 13 and the interruptions in trace 15, and emits a signal for rejecting cigarette 3 in the event, for example, the ratio between the number of dots (pixels) of trace 15 within a relatively narrow range of line 13 and the number of dots of trace 15 outside said range is below a given value. The Figure 5 variation relates to an optical device 21 differing from device 1 solely in that beam 5 emitted by source 4 is divided by a known divider (not shown) into a number of coherent light blades (not shown) lying in respective parallel planes 9a and impinging on plane 10 at respective angles A of less than 90°, so as to define, on end surface 14 of end portion 2 of cigarette 3, respective light traces 15 which, when detected by optical unit 16, provide for highly accurately evaluating the conformation of surface 14. The Figure 6 variation relates to an optical device 22 differing from device 1 solely in that beam 5 emitted by source 4 is divided by a known divider (not shown) into two coherent light blades (not shown) lying in respective perpendicular planes 9a, 9b and impinging on plane 10 at respective angles A of less than 90°, so as to define, on end surface 14 of end portion 2 of cigarette 3, two perpendicular light traces 15 which, when detected by optical unit 16, provide for highly accurately evaluating the conformation of surface 14. Devices 1, 21 and 22 may of course be combined to form further optical detecting devices for evaluating the conformation of surface 14.

Claims: A cigarette filling optical control method comprises stages consisting in emitting a coherent light beam (5) by at least a laser source (4); forming, on said surface (14), a respective real light trace (15) by said coherent light beam (5); the method being characterized by converting said coherent light beam (5) into a coherent light blade (9) so directed as to intersect the open-end surface (14) of the cigarette (3) under observation to form said real light trace (15); and analyzing any deviation or discontinuity of the real light trace (15) in relation to a respective theoretical, straight, continuous trace (13) formed by joining two end points (B, C) of the real light trace (15), to obtain a signal indicating acceptance or rejection of the cigarette (3) under observation. A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the open-end surface (14) of the cigarette (3) under observation is intersected by at least two coherent light blades (9). A method as claimed in Claim 2, characterized.in that said coherent light blades (9) lie in substantially parallel planes (9a). A method as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said coherent light blades (9) lie in substantially perpendicular planes (9a, 9b). A method as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that each said plane (9a)(9b) forms an angle (A) of less than 90° with said surface (14). A method as claimed in any one or the foregoing Claims, characterized in that each real light trace (15) is analyzed by detecting the number of first dots of the real light trace (15) within a given relatively narrow range of the respective said theoretical trace (13), and the number of second dots of the real light trace (15) outside said range. A method as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a stage consisting in emitting a signal for rejecting the cigarette (3) under observation when the ratio between the number of first dots and the number of second dots is below a given value. A cigarette filling optical control device comprises laser emitting means (4) for emitting at least one coherent light beam (5); said device being characterized by the fact of comprising at least one focusing unit (6) for converting said coherent light beam (5) into a coherent light blade (9) so directed as to intersect the open-end surface (14) of the cigarette (3) under observation; sensor means (17) for detecting a real light trace (15) of said light blade (9) on said surface (14); and processing means (20) for analyzing any deviation or discontinuity of said real light trace (15) in relation to a theoretical, straight, continuous trace (13) formed by joining two end points (B, C) of the real light trace (15), and for producing a signal indicating acceptance or rejection of the cigarette (3) under observation. A device as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that said laser emitting means (4) provide for emitting at least two coherent light blades (9). A device as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that said coherent light blades (9) lie in substantially parallel planes (9a). A device as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that said coherent light blades (9) lie in substantially perpendicular planes (9a, 9b). A device as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims from 8 to 11, characterized in that said focusing unit (6) comprises a focusing lens (7) and a cylindrical lens (8). A device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that each said light blade (9) is so directed as to form an angle (A) of less than 90° with a plane (10) through the annular free end edge (11) of the cover paper layer (12) of the cigarette (3) under observation. A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims from 8 to 13, characterized in that said sensor means (17) comprise a photodiode array type sensor (17).

Inventors: DI STEFANO GIUSEPPE, GHINI MARCO, NERI ARMANDO, DI STEFANO, GIUSEPPE, GHINI, MARCO, NERI, ARMANDO
Applicants: GD SPA, G.D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A24C5
IPC codes: A24C5